It was good, but the last ghost was very very scary.
Disney's A Christmas Carol
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
3-D adaptation of classic holiday tale may scare young kids.
Themes in this movie include: honesty, loss
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
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What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Disney's A Christmas Carol was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Parents need to know that, unlike The Polar Express, this Robert Zemeckis adaptation of a classic holiday tale is too intense both visually and in content for families with very young children. At its heart, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a ghost story, and not only are the many spirits very creepy at times, but the 3-D technology makes certain scenes -- as when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's red-eyed black stallions jump out at the audience -- all the scarier. And the realistic nature of the motion capture technology often makes the movie seem more like live action (and thus more intense) than animation. But on the other hand, the language is mild (British slang like "bugger" and "blast") and the drinking limited to Christmas toasts. And the messages are all quite positive, as Ebenezer Scrooge's (Jim Carrey) transformation is one of literature's ultimate stories of redemption and hope, even in the bleakest of times.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the lessons that Scrooge learns. How does he change throughout the movie? What is the story trying to teach us about not just Christmas, but about human behavior in general?
- How are the themes of A Christmas Carol still relevant more than 200 years after it was originally written? Kids: How can you act generously during the holidays and year round?
- Do you think the 3-D technology enhances the movie, or would it have been as good/better without it?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Disney's A Christmas Carol
What’s the Story?
Charles Dickens' 19th-century classic comes to life again in this 3-D adaptation, which faithfully follows the original tale. Seven Christmas Eves after the death of his business partner, Jacob Marley (voiced by Gary Oldman), miserly money lender Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) spends the day complaining about the town's holiday cheer ("Bah, humbug!"), terrorizing his put-upon clerk Bob Cratchit (also Oldman), and refusing his nephew Fred's (Colin Firth) invitation to Christmas supper. That night, Scrooge is visited by Marley's ghost, who informs him that three spirits will appear to him to offer one last chance to change his life before it's too late. Scrooge is then summoned by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come (all played by Carrey), each of whom gives the crotchety old man a peek at defining moments in his life and possible future -- as well as the life of poor-but-happy Cratchit, whose crippled son Tiny Tim (Oldman again) is sickly but still filled with holiday cheer.
Is It Any Good?
Director Robert Zemeckis continues to perfect the motion-capture animation he revolutionized with The Polar Express, and the result is quite breathtaking in A CHRISTMAS CAROL. From the pimples on an adolescent's face to the coins on a corpse's eyes, the technology accounts for a remarkable degree of detail. The 3-D, in particular, is fantastic -- albeit occasionally frightening (a few shots may cause audiences to jump from their seats). With a rubber-faced actor like Carrey as the star, it's no wonder that the characters' expressions and gestures are so startlingly realistic. Of course, the downside to all of the realism is that the ghost scenes are actually quite frightening -- not Beowulf terrifying, but downright scary nonetheless. The spook factor is unfortunate for parents who will naturally assume that animation plus holiday classic equals cinematic fun for the whole family.
For those with harder-to-rattle clans, this is a touching and haunting adaptation of a story most of us know by heart in one form or the other. Carrey's genius at physical comedy is evident throughout the film in small moments like when Scrooge does a jig, sings along with carolers, or slides down a railing. While there aren't many huge laughs, there's enough levity to break through the otherwise somber nature of Scrooge's time-traveling, life-changing visits to Christmases past, present, and future. Oldman and Firth are, as always, fine supporting players, and Robin Wright Penn (a Beowulf alum) adds a wistful, feminine vulnerability to the only woman Scrooge ever loved. With the current economic doom and gloom, this is a well-timed holiday narrative about hope, redemption, and love.
Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Director: Robert Zemeckis
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/6/2009
MPAA Rating: PG for scary sequences and images
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/6/2009
MPAA Rating: PG for scary sequences and images
Our Members Say
See all 104 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Neat and Scary.
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I rate this title off for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Definitely not for 6 year olds
I probably wouldn't have taken my kids except this was for a birthday party for a classmate. The mom didn't realize it would be so scary. My son hid his face and my daughter had to leave the theater. We did bring her back in to see the "happy" ending so she could at least see that Scrooge turned nice, etc. But this is definitely a scary movie and we only caught the regular version! Other classmates were frightened too & had bad dreams.
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
alot of ghosts and scary stuff in it for younger kids
i hated it when i saw it it was so boring
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
alot of ghosts and scary stuff in it for younger kids
i hated it when i saw it it was so boring
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
A fun new take on a beloved classic
Parents should know that Disney's A Christmas Carol is different from all of the other family-targeted Christmas movies because of its frightening imagery and clever mix of comedy, drama, horror, and parody. Although this movie isn't for the youngest of children, it's a whimsical (albeit dark) take on a classic that's sure to become a cult classic in years to come. Older kids won't be bored as they watch Scrooge's journey with the three Christmas ghosts and experience all the horrifying suspense and humorous situations along the way. Glee and Desperate Housewives follow a similar comedy/drama/parody formula and both are critically acclaimed and successful TV series, so why is Disney's A Christmas Carol being critically panned? This movie isn't meant to taken seriously, people! Remember that Jim Carrey (a comedian) plays Scrooge in this movie and brings humor to this spooky film. If you watch this movie as a serious Christmas-themed movie, which most people have, you will hate it and feel that Disney ruined a holiday classic. But if you watch it as a satirical Christmas-themed comedy-drama (with a LOT of horror), you will love it and feel that Disney created a different and new Christmas classic in-the-making.
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
While I watched it with my three boys, I kept thinking: "This is a horror movie for children!" There were several grotesque scenes! These include: when Marley's face on the door knocker "explodes" with teeth flying everywhere, When Marley's jaw separates from his face in a horrifying way while confronting Scrooge in his bedroom, and when the Ghost of Christmas Present laughs, disintegrating into an old grey man -- and then a skeleton at the end of that scene. For what it's worth, my boys said that they liked it (6, 9 & 11).
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I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
scary for kids 10; offensive to Christians
Great special effects but it scared my 8 year old with scenes of being sucked into a grave & chased relentlessly by the grim reaper. Terrible message that death is the punishment for bad behavior. Very offenisve use of Christian imagery; St. Nick Christmas tree turns into a giant Jesus with a crown of holly thorns and then he turns mean; hell & damnation. Not a healthy story of redemption. Disney sucks anymore.
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I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
This movie was entirely too scary. We had to leave the movie theatre because the ghosts were way too frightening. My oldest daughter cried that night because she was still scared. They just ruined a classic story that should have a positive Christmas message instead of scaring us to tears!
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Havent seen it?GO RIGHT NOW!!!
i love this movie and give it five and i dont get how ppl rate this as a movie that has to be seen with an adult.Its probably the best disney animated movie from a classic ive ever seen.Great movie
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Double check it's really in 3D or rent a better version
I gave this a 9 year old rating since my 9 year old loved it and wasn't too scared. It seemed about right for him, and he's not a regular of super scary, high action movies. However, it was pretty intense, even without the 3D. We were disappointed our theater had dropped the 3D version by the time we got around to seeing it. Wouldn't you think they'd keep the 3D on at least until Christmas? We weren't interested in seeing a Christmas movie at Halloween or whenever it actually opened so shame on us! Ha! Lastly, I thought the movie spent too much time on endless physical scenes with Scrooge being chased by things or shot through the air and etc. and less on the humanity of the story. I found the animation weirdly off-putting, but mostly because I think I just prefer actual actors faces. Not bad overall, but not great and without the 3D I'd rather have rented it.
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I rate this title off for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Absolutely not for 8 year olds
I really regret not checking out the reviews of this movie before impulsively taking my 8 yo to see it. I haven't heard ANY buzz about the scariness, and figured "Disney" = OK for kids. WAY WRONG. My daughter saw the George C Scott version this year, and there were moments that scared her but it was nothing like this one. She spent at least half of the movie with her hands over her eyes asking what was happening and if she could look yet. The stretch where the ghost of Christmas present reveals "ignorance and want" and then dies is excessive and was scary even for me. I am disappointed and angry that I wasted my time and money on this movie.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
As the jaw of one of the ghosts split from his face I had to admit I felt I was sitting in more of a horror movie than anything else. I am a big Christmas Carol fan, but this rendition was WAY TOO SCARY and dark for small children or any child under 8. Even that would be a stretch. I saw mothers with toddlers that were genuinely terrified and had to wonder why in the world they didn't leave the theature! Very well done and visually stunning, but mis-rated and far too much for most children. Also, with exception to the very end, lacking any christmas warmth and spirit.
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Better than I expected
I was surprised at how good this film was. I thought it would be horrible. There are some intense scenes, most notable the Ghost of Christmas yet to come. He is like a shadow, but jumps out at Scrooge a few times, which made me jump, and there is one scene where he chases Scrooge in his shadow-like chariot with his shadow horses. (To me, it looked like an extremely strange and intense Budweiser commercial, but that's just me.) Also, the spirits of want and ignorance are depicted as two badly injured small children. I think this film shows the story of A Christmas Carol in an interesting and entertaining way.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good movie, but scary for little ones & bereft of "real meaning" of Christmas
Loved this movie.. I am a "Christmas Carol" nut though, i see every version. This one was excellent in that it was creative without digressing much from the original story. Yes, there were some scary bits, after all, it IS a ghost story. And they added a rather intense chase scene, probably to show off the 3-D effects. My only real concern would be that they removed any reference to Jesus & the real reason for Christmas that Dickens had included in the written version.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Scary for younger kids
I took my 5 year old cousin to go see this movie and she was scared to death of it. At the end she said that she loved it but during the movie she asked me atleast 3 times to go home! So beware it is scary for younger kids.
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Good for age 11+ but too scary for little ones
I saw this movie with a big group of kids. The only ones not scared were those over 11. I would definitely think this one should be rated pg-13 just because all of the younger ones were very scared. Some of them wanted to leave. As an adult, I thought it was great, but viewing through the lenses of a 7 or 8 year old, it was too scary.
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I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
I was actually unable to finish the movie as my 4 year old was so terrified, he was shaking. When I asked customer service what the movie was rated, they told me G. I was very surprised. My 7 year old didn't like it that much, but she wasn't scared.
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Iam 8 and I did not like the movie.
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
SCARY movie!
My eight-year-old HATED this movie and wanted to come right home and write a review, so we found this site, and that's what we're doing. The movie is visually stunning, but that also contributes to how SCARY it is. Some of the scenes, especially Marley's ghost and the zombie children under the 2nd ghost's robe are terrifying. The movie should DEFINITELY be rated PG-13. It's a good (although still scary) movie for adults, although the action scene during the 3rd ghost's visit is ridiculous. A lot of work went into making this the classic Christmas Carol story, but the target audience was supposed to be kids, so it should have been adapted greatly. Instead, it was made more scary than any version I've ever seen. I felt like I was in a horror movie, at times, waiting for the bad guy to jump out of a corner (and he did). When it isn't scary, it's boring for kids.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 86% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 41% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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